Chapter Text
Keys jingled in Sakura's hand as she selected the house key she was looking for. It was larger than the others, belonging to the grand entrance to the Uchiha Manor, located in the most upscale neighborhood on the east side of Konoha.
“Rasuuuu” she cooed as she finally swung the door open. In the distance she heard the click clack of nails and then around the corner came a red Saluki, speeding up once she saw it was Sakura standing in the entryway.
The Uchiha were extremely wealthy and busy clansmen who could afford to pay Sakura to walk their beloved pet Amaterasu, who Sakura affectionately referred to as “Rasu” when nobody else was around.
“Ready to go girl?” Sakura asked, scratching Rasu behind an ear after the customary enthusiastic “hello” from the well mannered dog. Sakura pulled out a leash from the coat closet. There where multiple, some extremely fancy and encrusted with jewels, but Sakura chose a rather plain but cutely patterned purple one to match the collar Ratsu was wearing. She had no doubt that the remainder of that closet and it's garments held what amounted to a years worth of her medical school tuition.
Sakura eyed a luxurious fur coat with both envy and disgust. If she didn't know for a fact that it was an inherited item from several generations ago she would have scoffed in offense. The lady of the Manor, Mikoto Uchiha, shared Sakura's disdain for fur anything however how does one tell her husband that his Grandmother's wedding present was not appreciated?
“Is that you?” she heard someone call from deeper in the house. A moment later the younger son appeared, just as she managed to clip Rasu's leash to her collar. “Is it half hour or two today?” he asked, black eyes appraising her, likely judging her outfit and what it (didn't) cost. Sasuke was actually her age but because of his lifestyle seemed leagues above her. Personally she thought he was too pretentious for someone with no major achievements to his name, at least not yet. All the Uchiha were incredibly influential, but for Sasuke it was more because of his family name instead of what he did personally. Also he obviously didn't know her name even after she'd been working for his family for close to three years and that ticked her off.
“It's just a W.A.L K today but its so nice outside I was thinking of breaking the rules and going to the P.A.R.K anyway.” Sakura admitted, spelling out the words so Rasu wouldn't hear and become over enthusiastic She was already tapping her paws in anticipation and Sakura changed the leash to her other hand when Rasu did a circle around her, getting understandably frustrated at the delay. “Sit.” Sakura told her, and after a small grumble Rasu did sit.
“You do that.” Sasuke said, turning away and walking into what Sakura knew to be the parlor. She thought she heard the tinkle of female laughter right before the door closed but she wasn't sure.
Right. He wanted the house to himself for two hours. Sakura could give him that, even if he had been a demanding prick about it.
“Come on good girl.” Sakura said, leading Rasu outside and re-locking the front door. Down the front steps they trotted until they came to the circular driveway and Sakura's old Ford LTD that was previously her grandfather's. It was close to ten years old now but still had some life in it. Hopefully her talk with Fugaku about a raise would go well and she could get the tune up the mechanic had recommended the last time she went in for an oil change and rotation.
Sakura rolled the window down a little so Rasu could stick her head out as she shifted to drive and made her way down the long winding driveway. At the gate she passed a guard with little more than an amicable nod. Security knew her after so long and didn't hassle her for ID when she was either coming or going. However Sakura was sure that her departure was documented just encase the overbearing patriarch wanted to cross examine her work schedule. Glancing at her watch which read 11:12am Sakura made a mental note not to be back before 1:30pm. She didn't mind spending extra time with Rasu, who seemed to be more attached to her rather than anyone else in that Manor.
Ten minutes later they pulled into the park, finding a nice shady parking spot farther down the lot. It was OK with Sakura, who preferred a shady spot because her car's air conditioner didn't work. Hopping out and opening the back door, Sakura told Rasu to wait until she had her leash in hand and then set off towards the walkway. The beautiful park was one of many in this neighborhood and the walkway was a large circle around a man made pond with fountains and ducks. At certain spots the path would branch off onto wooden walkways that meandered through the wetlands and cattails but Sakura usually stuck to the paved walk which took her precisely forty five minutes to circumference. The rest of their time was either spent playing fetch or free romping in the fenced dog play area.
“Yo.”
Sakura turned at the greeting, seeing a middle aged man with spiky gray hair wearing a face mask. He had one hand up in salutation and a belt hooked with eight leashes, each leading to a unique dog surrounding him.
“Hello Kakashi, got the whole pack today I see.” Sakura teased. Most people would think with the mish mash of different breeds and sizes he was an overly ambitious dog walker but Sakura knew all eight dogs belonged to him. She didn't know exactly how each dog came to be his but from their conversations in the past Sakura knew that some of them were family cast offs and others were rescues. For the most part they were all very well behaved and didn't cause too much of a ruckus but one in particular....
“Look Rasu, your boyfriend is here.” Sakura knelt down to whisper. She pointed subtlety to the miniature pug who's whole body was wiggling with excitement. Kakashi chuckled and bent to unhook Pakkun, who darted over to do happy circles around Amaterasu. She responded with a play bow and equally exited tail wag. Pakkun wasted no time in peppering Rasu's face with loving kisses, he was ecstatic to see his lady friend. To Sakura it was humorous how the only way Pakkun could reach was if Rasu bent down, the differences in their height so vast given that she towered over him on long slender legs.
“How are you and Her Majesty today?” Kakashi asked, staying a safe distance so the others wouldn't overcrowd Pakkun and Rasu's reunion. He liked to refer to Amaterasu as such, given she was obviously a pure bred dog from a long pedigree of Saluki “royalty”. Sakura didn't mind either a mutt or a pure bred dog, in her opinion all dogs were good dogs, however she was aware that some people felt adoption was better considering how many good dogs ended up in shelters.
Considering who she worked for she wasn't surprised the Uchiha opted for a pure bred and it honestly wasn't any of her business to judge anyway. The only pet her parents had allowed Sakura to keep was a goldfish in seventh grade. During her childhood both Sakura's parents worked in order to provide and Sakura was in school so anything else would have been a responsibility too large to keep. The Haruno's, while they made it just comfortably, didn't have the luxury of expendable income to pay someone else to walk a dog they didn't have time for.
“We were meant to go for a walk around the block this morning but it ended up becoming a park day.” Sakura responded, watching as Rasu danced around her tiny boyfriend, stepping over him again and again.
“Yeah? The vet said Bull needs some more exercise so we're all out here to encourage him.” Kakashi admitted, shoving his hands into his pockets and giving the largest dog of his pack a meaningful look. “I guess we finally know who figured out how to get into the T.R.E.A.T.S.”
“I remember you mentioning that they seemed to be disappearing faster than usual. Haha!” Sakura laughed and recalled one of their previous conversations. Kakashi had been rather confused because he kept the treats in a closed pantry inside an airtight container. He kept finding crumbs but since he wasn't home all day he had no idea who the culprit was. “Do you know how he did it?” she asked.
“No idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if he has a few accomplices with him.” the silver haired man smirked, looking affectionately down at his crew. “I must be getting old, these guys seem to be one step ahead of me at every turn.” He whistled softly for Pakkun to come, hooking the pug back up to his leash only after the greeting “ritual” was over with. “You have a great day.”
“Thanks, you too. Bye!” Sakura watched Kakashi amble off with is dogs then turned and continued along with their own walk. Rasu was noticeably happier, looking around with bright eyes and a little pep to her step. She really was a much happier dog when she was exercised properly. The beginning of their sessions had been a nightmare, with little training and no outlets for her energy Amaterasu had been a mess of bad manners and impatience. However over time and with a consistent schedule their walks turned into a mutually pleasant experience. Sakura had to train Rasu how to walk calmly on her leash without pulling and to only approach other dogs if Sakura deemed them safe and gave permission first. It had been a very long and challenging journey but with endless patience and positive reinforcement it paid off in the long run.
The rest of the walk was uneventful and once the walk was complete Sakura spent the rest of their time sitting on a bench in the fenced off dog play area supervising Rasu as she ran around and interacted with other dogs.
“Come on Rasu! Time to go.” Sakura called, it was 1:15pm so she wanted to start heading back. Getting Rasu to come when she was called was one of the things that they were still working on. Amaterasu didn't like to go home and be stuck inside the Manor, preferring to play outside all day if she was allowed. However Sakura had work that afternoon and the Uchiha only paid her three times a week for either a half hour walk or a two hour park visit.
“RASUUU!” Sakura shouted, the Saluki not paying her any mind, choosing to continue playing with a rather vocal Malamute a good distance away. “You little brat.” She added exasperatedly under her breath, then began to walk towards the playful pair. She didn't want to pull out the treats in her pocket just yet, Amaterasu needed to learn to come when she was called, not just when she was bribed with treats. “Come on girl! Come Rasu!” Sakura tried again.
This time Amaterasu turned and looked at Sakura, having heard her nickname. She looked at Sakura, who patted her thighs in encouragement, then began to trot over leisurely. She was halfway back to Sakura's side before she stopped and cocked her head, seeming to remember something. Most likely it was that she didn't want to go back and that Sakura was not offering her any treats for her obedience.
“Mwa mwa mwa! Come on good girl, come on.” Sakura called, and Amaterasu finally came over, sniffing at Sakura's pocket for the treats she undoubtedly knew were hers. Sakura waited until she had Rasu hooked on her leash and told her to sit before praising and rewarding her with a few treats.
“Such a good girl Rasu, you listened!” Sakura heaped on the praise, leading them back to her car. She pet Rasu after she leaped into the car with just a little hesitation and then closed the door.
“Oof!” Sakura was suddenly pinned to the side of her car as a large black and white dog jumped on her, two massive paws coming down on her shoulders. She grabbed the dog's legs and tried to push it off, but it was too strong and had her pinned effectively. The dog didn't growl or bite but instead began to bombard her face with slobbery kisses, one of which most definitely got her right in the mouth as she screamed for it to get off of her. She could hear someone shouting what must be the dogs name but it was too difficult to discern with Amaterasu going ballistic barking in the car right behind her.
“Akamaru no!” a young man came up to her and grabbed the dog by it's collar, finally hauling the massive dog off of Sakura. She spit and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, trying to get rid of the taste of dog slobber. Amaterasu was still going crazy in the car, jumping back and forth from the front to the back and barking right up against the glass.
“It's OK, I'm alright.” Sakura tried to sooth her, and when that didn't work she added “Quiet!” Amaterasu continued her frenzied jumping but switched to loud whining and scratching at the glass windows and doors. She was sure there would be some damage to the upholstery too. Urgh....
“I'm so sorry, Akamaru snapped his leash and took off. He saw you walking your dog and wanted to say hello. I know that's no excuse and I'm not trying to give you one but truly that's what happened.” The guy holding the black and white dog back said, and sure enough Sakura could see the remnants of a broken leash thrown over one of his wide shoulders.
As if noticing his shoulders summoned attention to her own, Sakura realized that hers did not feel good. There was a burning sensation on both her shoulders and down the length of her left arm which turned out to be shallow scratch marks. Thankfully none of them bled but there where still visible red lines all across her shoulders and three long ones down her left arm where one paw must have dragged as he was pulled away.
“Did he scratch you? Are you hurt?” the guy asked looking guilty. He turning to command “Sit!” when his dog continued to try to approach Sakura.
The mammoth of a dog sat, at least he listened when his owner was around, she thought.
“Yeah he scratched me up pretty badly but I'm not bleeding so it's not serious.” Sakura said, pulling down one side of her shirt collar so the guy could see the beginnings of the scratch marks on her shoulder. “Sounds like you need a sturdier leash, he seems too strong for that one you were using.”
“Yeah no kidding! He shocked the hell out of me when it just snapped like that. We can't even continue our walk now, hope you're happy with yourself Akamaru!” he scolded. At the tone Akamaru finally seemed to clue in that all was not well and that he was in some sort of trouble. “You know better than to jump on people. Shame on you!” Down went Akamaru's ears and wagging tail as he fully understood that he was in the wrong.
“It's fine, I should really get going.” Sakura said, wanting the whole encounter to end. Amaterasu was still tearing up her car and now she was going to be late returning to the Manor. Possibly even late to work depending on how fast she could get ready.
“Let me make it up to you, seriously, I feel terrible.” he said. “Do you come here often? Can we meet up again? I'll bring you coffee and donuts if you like. Names Kiba by the way” he offered, tacking on the last bit as if he was just now realizing he introduced his dog but not himself.
“Sakura. Thanks but that's really not necessary. I should go now or I'm going to be really late for work.” she was kind of irritated, probably sounding like it too, because her shoulders really burned, her mouth tasted nasty, her face and hair drenched in slobber and even her entire body was now covered in long white dog hairs. She needed to take a shower and change her clothes which would take more time than she had on top of the commute to the Uchiha Manor, back to her apartment and then to the hospital.
Still she tried to refuse him slightly politely, seeing as a leash snapping was a freak accident and not a result of careless off leash behavior. She felt for herself how strong the dog was, him snapping a leash was entirely plausible. However the likely damage to the interior of her car...maybe she should ask Fugaku for that raise this week instead of next month on her three year employment anniversary like she planned. She turned to get in her car and didn't notice right away when Kiba followed with Akamaru still in his grip. Right outside the drivers door Sakura turned and said crossly. “Seriously, I don't need anything from you, please leave me alone.” She didn't want to open the door until he was away from her just in case either dog decided to enter or exit the car.
“Here, if you change your mind please call me.” he offered, holding out a piece of paper. Sakura glared, just now realizing that he was kind of cute. An unkempt brunet with facial tattoos and a roguish smile. He was sort of her type, the bad boy kind, but she was too irritated to find him overly attractive right now. Sakura had a feeling he would keep pressuring her to take his info and arguing was not a luxury she had the time for so she snatched the paper from his hand and made a shooing motion for him to leave. Kiba gave her one last smile before hauling Akamaru towards a green pickup, slowly but eventually they made it, and drove off.
Sakura spent a few minutes baby talking to Rasu and petting her to reassure her that she was fine. This was interspersed with more doggy kisses and frantic sniffing, no doubt because of Akamaru's scent now all over Sakura. The drive back to the Manor was short and sweet, the guards nodding once more as she pulled through the gate around 2:05pm. This time she pulled up to the side of the Manor, where the back kitchen door was and the garbage was kept.
Sakura hopped out and detached the poop bag from her belt loop, lifting the lid to the bin just as a black Maserati drove slowly past, the man driving smirked while the girls in the back made woofing noises and laughed hysterically. She threw the bag into the trash vengefully and slammed the lid, rounding the car to the passenger side and let Rasu out. The Saluki, all bad vibes forgotten already, pranced around for a moment in total obliviousness to Sakura's bad mood. She picked up Amaterasu's leash and led the dog into the back of the kitchen, instantly spotting the rotund form of the Uchiha family's main cook.
It took a moment for the woman to spot her back but when she did, Chochi Akimichi did a violent double take. “Sage above! What happened to you? You look like something trampled you over!”
“That's pretty much what happened.” Sakura replied dryly. She unhooked Rasu from her leash as soon as the outside door was closed behind her, looping the length of it around her hand as the dog took off into the house through the hall entrance. Sakura stayed in the recessed “mud room” or “genkan” area just inside the door. She didn't want to compromise getting any dog hairs on the kitchen surfaces and therefore possibly into any food. However Chochi wasn't preparing any food, in fact the plump woman was standing at the sinks, washing dishes which was an unusual sight. “ChoCho didn't come today?” Sakura asked, referring to the granddaughter whose job it was to wash the dishes.
“She was here earlier and finished all the dishes from breakfast before she headed to school but these just now are lunch dishes from a lovely group of Sasuke's friends that just left.” Chochi said, turning back to the soapy water and stack of plates. The way in which she emphasized the word “lovely” was indication that the friends in question where anything but.
“I think I met them, just now on their way out. Greeeaaat people.” Sakura sassed back. The two women shared a look before chuckling in agreement.
“So what did happen to you dear?” Chochi asked again, placing another rinsed off dish in the washer. Usually she didn't have to prepare or clean up lunch because everyone in the Uchiha family worked and therefore ate out, too grandiose to pack a lunch from home. The poor treatment and careless addition to the kind cook's workload was another reason Sasuke was not her favorite Uchiha. Not that she even had a favorite to be honest, they were all fairly contemptible.
“Some dog got loose at the park and said hello rather forcefully.” Sakura explained, rolling up her left sleeve to show the long red scratches. She then pulled the collar of her shirt down to show the matching marks on her shoulder.
“Tsk! If I was there whoever allowed that dog to get loose would have gotten a walloping. So careless of them to allow a dog to get loose like that. You poor dear, those look bad. Let me get my first aid kit. It has some alcohol wipes and you should at least disinfect those scratches. You never know what kind of bacteria and germs a dog has under their nails.” Chochi shook off her wet hands before drying them quickly and opened one of the many cupboards. She pulled out a red bag with a white cross on it and dragged a three legged stool over to Sakura. “Here, sit on that and I'll get you your wipes. Take your shirt off so I can reach your shoulders.”
“Sorry, I don't have much time. Could I just take them with?” Sakura tried to refuse, not fully comfortable with disrobing in the large open kitchen where anyone might wander in.
“It'll just take a minute.” Chochi reassured, pushing Sakura to sit and already removing the wipe from it's package to dab at Sakura's forearm where the long scratches ended. “I have a spare shirt ChoCho left here after a field trip last week, you are welcome to it.” she added.
ChoCho was younger than Sakura, in high school to be precise, but had a full body like the rest of her family. It was likely that the shirt would fit Sakura but waiting for it's retrieval was just another thing Sakura didn't have time for. She pulled her shirt off over her head and let it rest in her lap, sitting there in her bra. “Thanks but after this I'm going home to change anyway so I'll just wear this one until I do. No reason to dirty another shirt.” She grabbed another alcohol wipe, ripped it open and began to work quickly on her right shoulder while Chochi continued up her left arm.
“Don't wear anything too tight that will rub up against these.” Chochi advised. “Thankfully there is no blood but irritating them will prolong the healing.”
“Yes ma'am.” Sakura said, slightly sarcastically to subtly reminding the cook that she was a medical intern and therefore knew how to treat superficial scratches like these.
Chochi responded by lightly slapping Sakura on the back of the head after finishing up the last of the scratches on her left shoulder. She held out her hand and Sakura smiled when she put the used up wipe in the older woman's grip. “Well if you're feeling feisty enough to sass me then I guess you'll be alright then. Off you go, to the hospital to save someone's life no doubt.”
“I don't do anything nearly as-”
“Excuse me, but who let this dog in here?” a low cultured voice asked from the hall entrance.
Sakura's gaze snapped up to see a handsome Uchiha standing in the doorway. Her arms raised just a second later, clutching her shirt to her chest to hide her bra. Oh Kami, her prediction had come true, someone had walked in while she was exposed and even worse it was a family member of her employers. She had never seen this particular Uchiha before, she would have remembered his long hair tied back in a low ponytail. Who was this? Was he part of the main family or visiting cousin?
Said handsome Uchiha's eyes widened slightly at the sight of her. No doubt she looked a mess, probably the victim of a horrific attack given that the scratches where entirely visible. Her disheveled hair, crusty face, fur coated clothing and panicked look probably only reinforced the image that she was a hot mess. Really, it must be bad to get even an eye widening from this Uchiha, whose whole family was derived of cool and unflappable individuals as if it ran in their genetics to be so un-bothered by almost anything.
Chochi, bless her soul, used her ample body to step between Sakura and this new Uchiha, breaking their awkward eye contact. “Itachi, I didn't know you were coming home today! Your father said to expect you on Friday so that's when I planned to cook your favorites.”
Oh Kami...it was the prodigal older son, Sasuke's revered older brother, back from his five year long business trip abroad.